Alfred a



(No Model.)

A. OOWLESL INSULAZTBD ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR.

No. 272,660. Patented Feb. 20,1883.

N. MYERS, Phnwulhos P er. wilhlnginn. D. c

UNITED STATES ALFRED A. oo LEs,

PATENT @rrica.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INSULATED ELECTRIC CONDUCTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,660, dated February20, 1883.

Application filed November 10, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED A. OowLus, of the city and State of New York,have invented an lmprovementin Insulated Electric Conductors. of whichthe following is a specification.

Before my invention copper wires had been covered with one or twobraidings ofcords, and par-affine, tar, asphalt, and various substanceshad been employed for rendering the covering waterproof-and furnishingaproperinsulation. With conductors of this character several accidentsoccurred in consequence of the conductor becoming heated and settingfire to the insulation. For this reason objections were made to insuringbuildings against loss by fire where electric-lamp wires wereintroduced. To render the conductor fire-proof without interfering withthe insulation led me to invent and manufacture the insulated electricconductors to which the present invention relates, which conductors havegone extensively into use during about a year and a half before the dateof this specification.

l manufacture the said fire-proof insulation of the conductor in thefollowing manner, reference being bad to the annexed drawing, whichillustrates the devices employed. The wire a is passed up through thehead of a braiding-xnachine, and a-layerofcotton orother threads isplaced upon the wire in the ordinary manner. The braiding head,'withspools,

isindicated atb. The covered wire now'passes in at the bottom of thevessel 0, through a suitable packing, d. This vessel 0 contains paint,preferably white lead or white zinc ground in oil and mixed with asuitable drier. The paint saturates the braided covering and the surplusruns down the same back into the vessel 0 as the braiding progresses. 1next apply a second braiding directly upon the paint. For this purpose asecond braiding-machine head is employed, the same being shown atf. Thethreads that are braided upon the paint force the paint into the firstbraided covering and at the same time the paint oozes through be tweenthe threads. Hence the paint is incorporated throughout the braidedcovering and fills up the pores. The braided covering is rendered evenand consolidated by suitable means, such as one or two pairs of groovedrollers, k k.

In practical use it is found that the covering is of the most reliablecharacter, it is compact and hard, the wire is perfectly insulated, andthere is no possibility of intiaming the covering. With intense heat thethreads may char, but they will not burn. For these reasons thisinsulated conductor is preferred to those before made.

I remark that in the manufacture ofthis con- (luctor it is preferable toreel the covered wire as it passes from the braiding and paintingmachineand then remove the reel from the coil and hang up such coil in aheated room until it is tIJOI'OUJhLY hardened.

More than two layers of braiding may be employ ed, the paint interveningbetween the layers. l/Vinding with threads or cords may take the placeof braiding.

If desired, a coat of paint may be applied outside the outer layer offibrous material, and this may be colored, so as to be used indistinguishing the wires. It is always preferable to braid the secondorsubsequent coats upon the paint when fresh; but 1 do not limit myselfin this particular, as the paint may be dried, or partially so, beforethe next layerof braiding is applied. Paint might be applied to the wirebefore the first braiding.

1 am aware that wire has been covered with braided threads; also thatindia-rubber, as-

phaltnm, and similar materials have been applied upon the coveringeither hot or cold; but one coating of such material was allowed to setor harden before the next layer of braided material was applied. Hencethe asphalt-um or similar material was not forced into the interstices,and besides this all these substances ignite by the wire becomingheated, or fire will follow along upon such covering.

I have discovered that ordinary paint composed of lead or zinc withlinseed-oil is practically non-combustible, and it prevents the coveringbeing ignited by the Wire becoming hot if there is a resistance to theelectric current; besides this, fire will not burn along the conductor,as is the case where the fibrous covering is saturated with asphaltum,indiarubber, or similar material.

I claim as my invention- 1. The method herein specified of insulatingelectric conductors and rendering the coating substantiallynon-combustible, consisting in fills the interstices of the covering,snbstan- 1o applying a, layer of fibrous material, a layer of tially asset; forth.

paint, and a second layer of fibrous material Signed. by me this 6th dayof November, A. upon the paint before it dries or sets, 'snbstan- D.1882.

tiall as set forth. 1

2. An insulated and non-combustible cover- ALFRED (JOWLES' ing forelectric conductors, composed of two or 'Witnesses:

more layers of cotton or similar threads, with GEO. T. PINGKNEY,

paint that intervenes between the layers and WILLIAM G. MOTT.

